Physical condition and perceived fatigue in post-covid patients: An observational descriptive study

Patients with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) often require hospital admission and experience sequelae such as chronic fatigue or low muscle mass. To analyze the functional capacity of a cohort of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 who required hospitalization. An observational descriptive study was conducted on post-COVID-19 patients referred to the Rehabilitation Department of Gregorio Marañón Hospital (Madrid, SPAIN). Cardiorespiratory fitness, muscle strength, body composition, and perception of fatigue and dyspnea were analyzed. Furthermore, the existing correlations between clinical variables and physical conditions were analyzed. Forty-two patients who required hospital admission (80 ± 22.45 days) or intensive care unit (ICU) admission (58 ± 10.52 days) were analyzed. They presented with decreased strength, respiratory capacity, and moderate-to-severe perceived fatigue. Additionally, an inverse correlation was found between right-handgrip strength and days in the ICU, as well as the 6-minute walk test for women. Similarly, strength and fitness were negatively associated with perceived fatigue. Post-COVID-19 patients showed low muscle function and low levels of physical fitness associated with high perceived fatigue.